Tiger Nut Tubers Research Articles

Effect Of Dietary Supplementation With Tigernut Tubers On Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

This work has been carried out to detect the effect of tigernut tubers as an antidiabetic plant on some biochemical parameters in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Diabetes mellitus was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of 45 mg STZ /kg body weight. The present results indicated an increase in both serum glucose level and liver glucose-6- phosphatase (G6P) activity in STZ-diabetic rats. In addition, a significant decrease in serum insulin level and liver glycogen content was recorded in the same rats. Moreover, serum total lipids, total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol levels revealed a significant increase, while a decrease in the level of HDL-cholesterol was observed in STZ-diabetic rats. The activity of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) showed marked increase in STZ-diabetic rats. On the other hand, tigernut- supplemented diet (25% w/w) for two or four weeks recorded a significant improvement in all the above biochemical parameters affected by STZ injection especially after four weeks of treatment. Therefore, it was concluded that tigernut tubers had appreciable hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects on STZ-diabetic rats.

Soaking behaviour and milky extraction performance of tiger nut ( Cyperus esculentus) tubers

Three diameter sizes ( D < 0.5 cm, 0.5 cm < D < 1 cm and D > 1 cm) of tiger nut ( Cyperus esculentus) tubers growing in Cameroon (Central Africa) were soaked between 20 °C and 100 °C until water content equilibrium, and pressed for extraction of milky beverage (“horchata”). Application of Peleg model was investigated for predicting water absorption of tubers during soaking. The model showed to predict kinetics of the tiger nut soaking. The Peleg absorption rate constant ( k 1) decreased as temperature increased, indicating increase in absorption rate with temperature, with a discontinuity at 60 °C. The water absorption capacity ( k 2) was relatively stable, but displayed the same discontinuity at 60 °C. The extraction yield and the insoluble extract content of the milky beverage increased with temperature, while its soluble extract content decreased in the same conditions. These trends were attributed to the weakening of cell walls of the tubers at higher soaking temperature, generating high level of material transfer, as justified by the very low values of k 1 at high soaking temperature.

Dietary supplementation with Cyperus esculentus L (tiger nut) tubers attenuated atherosclerotic lesion in apolipoprotein E knockout mouse associated with inhibition of inflammatory cell responses

Atherosclerosis is a pathological process, where recruitment of mononuclear cells results in the growth of fibro-fatty plaques. Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) is a legend for the uptake of lipoproteins, and deficiency of ApoE leads to the accumulation of low-density lipoprotein. Utilizing ApoE-/- mouse, which spontaneously develop atherosclerosis on low-fat chow diets, the present study showed that feeding these mice on a diet supplemented with the whole tubers of Cyperus esculentus L (tiger nut) resulted in attenuation of the development of atherosclerotic lesions. The anti-atherosclerotic effect was associated with a decrease in the number of monocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells in blood, and the expression of IL-2Rα and LFA-1 by these cells. Further, in vitro proliferation of blood and spleen cells from tiger nut-fed ApoE-/- mice showed lower proliferation in responses to ConA and LPS, a T and B cell mitogen, respectively. Further, in vitro treatment of blood and spleen cells with water or ethanol extracts of tiger nut markedly increased their proliferation in response to ConA. Collectively, these data indicate that ingredients of tiger nut tubers exhibit anti-inflammatory properties upon inflammation, and immunostimulatory effects in immunocompetent hosts.

Fatty acid compositions of tigernut tubers (Cyperus esculentus L.), baobab seeds (Adansonia digitata L.), and their mixture

AbstractFatty acid profiles and iodine values of tigernut tubers (Cyperus esculentus L.), decorticated seeds of the baobab tree (Adansonia digitata L.), and their mixture (one part of tigernut to three parts of baobab seeds, w/w) were chromatographically and chemically determined. All three samples contained myristic acid as the main saturated acid and oleic acid as the predominant unsaturated acid. Linoleic acid was present in the samples to the extent of 8.8–27.4%, and no other polyunsaturated acids were found. The vegetable oil mixture had the highest level of linoleate, and its possible significance in relation to the intended use in novel food formulation is discussed.